The Top 10 Myths About The Internet

Beyond Hercules pillars, a beautiful, fertile and prosperous country was destroyed in a single day and a catastrophic night. That country was Atlantis. True or fake news? Who knows?

Myths are a part of who we are, how we relate to our history and how we find explanations for the things we don’t know yet. Our favorite space, the internet is full of myths and we are going to describe the top 10 of them for you.

1. Run away from adult websites.

We have always been told adult websites bring viruses. Nevertheless, just like the hair that will grow in the palm of your hand, they both are lies. Adult websites do bring viruses but to the same extent as any other website.

The security labs of the GDataCompany made a malware report which shows the top 10 categories of evil websites. It reveals that only the 5% of them are pornography websites and the highest percentage (19, 6%) belongs to technology and telecommunications sites. So if you are an adult, feel free to enter into those sites and explore with no fear.

2. Firefox browser is safer than Internet Explorer.

That is a hard myth because there are many fans from each side. Firefox lovers say it is safe because it notifies the user before entering a potentially malicious website. On the other hand, Internet Explorer has a very bad reputation for its safety, even when its safety troubles happened in old versions like 6 and 7.

Nowadays many people don’t like to use it because Microsoft has been targeted by NSA spying efforts. You must know Firefox does not use a sandbox to separate internet from your system. That would allow hackers crack your data.

Meanwhile, the latest Microsoft Edge is considered the safer. So our conclusion is you are going be safe as long you practice good security habits like keeping antivirus software installed and updated.

3. Be ready for the Cyber Pearl Harbor.

This myth has been around for a while. At 2012, US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Cyber Pearl Harbor is a cyberspace attack against the internet. It could take control of IT services (Information Technology) spread a virus, steal and delete important data and more.

That could be really a catastrophe because many aspects of our lives depend on the internet. Even so, internet safety has received zillions of dollars of investment to avoid something like that happens. So Cyber Pearl Harbor is like the Sasquatch. It might exist but we really do not know.

4. You don’t have important information on your computer, so you are safe.

Maybe you are a simple guy with a simple life and zero data of interest. You don’t trust in banks so you keep your savings under the mattress. A hacker means nothing for you because you don’t have any important data on your pc or Smartphone.

This is a dangerous way of thinking and acting. Even when you don’t have important data every device is valuable for a cyber criminal. For instance, a hacker could break in your pc and be part of a botnet (a sort of zombie computer network) and be used to attack a website.

It means someone could use your computer to dry a bank account, for example. You need to be careful all the time.

5. Your ISP is your enemy.

Your Internet Service Provider (ISP) links you to the internet. This ISP is able to scan and save every data that flows through the system. So you suppose to be scared because every single and embarrassing search that you did on the internet, the Big Brother knows about it.

But this is just a myth. Did you read well? It is able to do it, but it does not do it because it would be very expensive. Then you may continue searching how to make your cat to love you. Nonetheless, ISP tracks suspects targeted of terrorism and child pornography.

6. Social networks are safe as long as they are private.

With all Mark Zuckerberg big drama, if you fall in this myth you are so naïve, pal. Maybe you think your Instagram is safe because it is not public, but you need to know some solid facts.

Very important part of your data is out there for unknown people and purpose, even if your account is private. In order to register on Facebook, you must provide your full name, so private does not mean anonymous.

When you sign in, you must provide some data for verification purposes. Like date of birth or phone numbers. Those data goes to several servers distributed all over the planet. Even your IP address is out there. Besides, you have to remember that every picture you post, it will remain forever in the net.

7. A dollar for your “like”

If you have a golden heart perhaps you may have fallen into this myth. It is simple. You are scrolling through your Facebook app and a touching picture appears. Like a little boy in a hospital bed. If you give your “like”, one dollar will be donated for helping him. They say… but it is not true.

This is a trick to increase the user account popularity. It is a pretty vile deception! Good news, it means you care, so heaven is waiting for you, my dear friend!

8. All the information on the internet is for free.

All the info is for free like the best things in life? Well, let me burst your bubble. The fact you do not pay it with a real or virtual currency does not mean that you are not paying. Nowadays internet offers an endless number of applications, programs, games, services and social networks for “free”.

However, you pay with your personal information and data which serve to several companies in order to offer their products. By example, you are using Duolingo app for free, but you have to see some ads that appear. Those ads usually are related to you. If you like to travel (and you put that in your profile) you may receive travel agency ads.

Some ads are very annoying, so if you want them to stop popping up, you need to ask for the premium version and pay for it. Only real love is for free.

9. The internet can make you rich.

Only when you have a passion for what you do, money will rain. So do not fall into this myth. There are zillions of advertisements and spam emails which promise you will have a lot of money online.

The internet is a very effective tool to improve an established business (real or virtual) through publicity, but don’t expect you are going to earn tons of money by scrolling Twitter or watching sleepy cats online. Nowadays so-called “influencers” may earn benefits through their social media. This requires a lot of effort and social media knowledge in order to achieve that.

Even so, the internet is not a magic wand that will turn your computer into tons of gold. Money does not grow on trees!

10. It is true! Google says so!

Alexander Smith is a special agent of de CIA who traveled to the year 2118. He was able to return to the year 1981 because in the future there are travel agencies that sell tickets to travel in time. It is true! It is on the internet! This magical portal is full of news like this.

Some of them are real and verifiable and others are fake and funny. So you need to know some tips in order to trust in the credibility of the story. First, you need to examine the web address itself if it ends in .edu or .gov. That indicates a reliable source because the information came from an established institution.

Likewise, you should look for the author of the publication and his or her credentials. In this way, you can decide if the author is maybe saying the truth. But the most important tip is using your instinct and common sense. So don’t believe everything you read on the internet.

Finally, it is important to study the credibility of the facts around the internet in order to avoid any negative situation. Like scams or disinformation. If everything online were true, we would all be zillionaires, living in Atlantis and having a chupacabras as a fierce pet!

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